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Can Fish Make You Smarter?

David SchipperMarch 23, 2009

Mike Johnston / flickr

Grabbing a tuna sandwich for lunch may leave you with less than perfect breath, but the benefits of the canned fish far outweigh the stink.

According to Swedish scientists, eating fish just once a week may boost your IQ. Their study, published in the journal Acta Paediatrica, looked at 3,972 males, surveying them as teens and then analyzing cognitive scores they received in the Swedish military years later.

Says one of the study’s authors: “We found a clear link between frequent fish consumption and higher (cognitive) scores when the teenagers (repeatedly) ate fish at least once a week. When they ate fish more than once a week, the improvement almost doubled.”

The researchers are still trying to pinpoint the exact mechanism, although all signs lead to the actions of omega fatty acids. Fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, and tuna, contain the most omega-3 fatty acids and therefore the most potential benefits, but many types of seafood contain small amounts of the omegas.

Think your brain doesn’t need bolstering? Your mental powers actually start becoming noticeably weaker around your 27th birthday, states new research out of the University of Virginia. The seven-year study of 2,000 healthy people aged 18-60 also concluded that peak cognitive performance occurs at the age of 22.

About The Author

David Schipper
– David began writing for CorePerformance.com in 2008, after spending six years at Men's Health magazine digging up the newest scientific research in health, weight loss, nutrition, muscle and cardiovascular fitness.